What photography advice do you ignore?

[olivermoss]

I follow the twitter of a few photography related accounts on twitter, including some blogs, to try to stay in the loop on things. One thing I see often is professional photographers urging me not to pixel peep! I usually pixel peep. If you are unfamiliar, pixel peeping is when you pause after a photo to preview it, zoom in and check the fine details. Apparently, this is bad for some reason. Since I do a lot of shooting in the dark, and also shoot street art, I need to pixel peep. Shooting handheld in the dark is hard. Also, as I've learned the hard way, street art might not still be there the next day!














I've looked at a few of these articles I keep seeing in my feed, and apparently making sure you got a clear shot hurts your artistic self or stops people from experimenting? I am baffled by these explanations.

What common photography advice do you ignore?

Comments

[olivermoss]

Yeah, I think rules can get in the way of growth. Rule of 3rds doesn't work at all with most of what I shoot these days, the images would seem weird and stiff.

I kinda did rule of 3rds in my top image, but I didn't think about it. I twas just trying to add more visual context, show that it was on a telephone pole.

[highlander_ii]

i tend to approach Ro3rds more with 'the field is 9 squares and the subject should be more toward the middle in most cases' i almost never put the subject dead-center unless going for a very specific look

i told you - i don't even remember what most of the rules are anymore =) i learned them in photography classes, but psssshhhhhttt forgot most of them. also - p sure i ended up with shittier pictures when i had to stop and think about all the rules

[olivermoss]

Nah, having lots of practice is better than following rules. I put a lot of subjects dead center and filling the screen when I am in the city. Trying to do anything else with street art, yard art, etc just looks weird and forces.